Sheriff Barney Custer of Franklin County, Illinois, issued a public apology for the actions of one of his deputies that resulted in the death of Sonya Massey. In a statement, Custer expressed deep regret for the incident and acknowledged the pain and anger it has caused.
The incident occurred when Deputy James McClug shot and killed Massey while she was driving away from a traffic stop. The deputy claimed he was in fear for his life, but an investigation revealed that Massey was unarmed and not posing a threat at the time of the shooting.
Sheriff Custer made it clear that he would not offer any excuses for the actions of his deputy and took full responsibility for the tragedy. He stated that the department will be conducting a thorough review of its policies and procedures to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
The shooting has sparked outrage in the community, with many calling for justice for Massey and holding law enforcement officers accountable for their actions. Custer’s apology was seen as a step in the right direction towards addressing the concerns of the community and rebuilding trust between law enforcement and residents.
Moving forward, Sheriff Custer pledged to work towards transparency and accountability within the department to ensure that incidents like this do not happen again. He also extended his condolences to the family and loved ones of Sonya Massey, expressing his deepest sympathies for their loss.
Overall, the apology from Sheriff Custer was seen as a positive gesture towards acknowledging the mistakes made by his deputy and taking steps to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
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